The Chauvel valedictory
February 27th, 2013 at 9:36 pm by David FarrarA rather extraordinary valedictory speech by Charles Chauvel which makes clear how fragmented and divided Labour is.
Before we get to that, also amused by this statement:
Journalists working in much of our undercapitalised, foreign-owned media are under constant professional pressure. This comes from many quarters, including the constant need to sell newspapers and air time, and also the need to compete with instantly available online sources. In the case of the two better-known right wing blogs, those online sources are proxies for the present Government, and much copy is supplied to them directly out of Ministers’ offices at the taxpayer’s expense.
I tweeted in response that having Charles accuse people of planting information with the media is akin to Jim Jones warning people against drinking the kool-aid!
Some on the left always have these conspiracy theories about supplied copy. If only it was true. I recall once I did a comprehensive rebuttal of a Labour press release 60 minutes after it came out with links to all sorts of official sources. A blogger said I must have had the info supplied to me, and I facebooked my browser log for the last hour which showed my Google searches and references.
I am the only person who writes copy for Kiwiblog, unless I indicate it is a guest post.
I blogged at the end of last year links to several dozen blog posts where I criticized or disagreed with the Government.
Anyway enough with Charles’ conspiracy theories and accusations under parliamentary privilege. Let’s look at what he said about Labour:
Secondly, it is unproductive to keep trying to locate and exclude the supposed enemy within.
The enemy within! What a phrase. I suspect that Charles is someone that his colleagues have used that phrase about!
Instead, in order to avoid history repeating, it is time for an honest, open, and overdue assessment of why the 2011 campaign produced Labour’s worst ever electoral result. Those responsible for it should make dignified exits
That is a stunningly provocative statement for a valedictory. The four MPs he must be alluding to are then Leader Phil Goff, then Deputy Annette King, campaign manager Trevor Mallard and campaign strategist/spokesperson Grant Robertson.
You expect a statement like that at The Standard, not in an MPs valedictory speech. No love lost there!
and all the undoubted talent and diversity of the caucus should be included in the shadow Cabinet.
A plea to stop excluding Cunliffe and the Cunliffe faction.
To put it another way, in Gough Whitlam’s immortal words, the party must have both its wings to fly.
Remember that when next a Labour MP tries to tell you the caucus is not divided, and there are no factions!
I can’t recall a previous valedictory speech which so obviously ripped open the factional feuding, and called for four senior MPs to leave Caucus.
Related posts:
- No valedictory for Hide
- Further thoughts on Clark valedictory
- Chauvel resigns from Parliament
- Chris Carter valedictory
February 27th, 2013 at 9:46 pm
If only Chauvel was as good as he thinks he is. At the UN, he may have an opportunity to catch up with his fellow narcissist, Chris Carter. Farewell!
February 27th, 2013 at 9:47 pm
Sour grapes are sour grapes, what else is new?
Vote:February 27th, 2013 at 9:55 pm
“Right wing blogs……”
Economically perhaps,but “progressive”would be more in keeping and as such ,common cause with the socialists.
Vote:February 27th, 2013 at 9:57 pm
What a bitter and twisted old queen. He really will not be missed at all.
February 27th, 2013 at 10:03 pm
Obese young queen. Fatness makes you bitter.
Vote:February 27th, 2013 at 10:08 pm
If he wanted to spit the dummy he shouldn’t have held back. He should have simply said what he was spewing about, whose fault he reckoned it was and why, in his own bubby, sooky mind. Off with his hat.
Vote:February 27th, 2013 at 10:23 pm
I suspect Charles would feel a lot more comfortable in the Greens.
I, for one, would welcome him in the Greens as an electable candidate once he’s had a much needed break from party politics.
Vote:February 27th, 2013 at 10:23 pm
and much copy is supplied to them directly out of Ministers’ offices at the taxpayer’s expense.
Obviously thinks that is the way it happens, because that is the way he does it
Vote:February 27th, 2013 at 10:23 pm
http://raincoaster.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/julian-assange-says-bitch-please.png?w=474&h=314
Vote:February 27th, 2013 at 10:25 pm
The guy is a little turd.
February 27th, 2013 at 10:37 pm
Good ridance to bad rubbish. Shame he hasn’t taken a few more of his ilk with him.
Vote:NZ will be a better place without him.
February 27th, 2013 at 10:39 pm
So why are you surprised RRM? He’d fit in nicely with the former communist party, McGillicuddy Serious Party and Legalise Cannabis members.
Vote:February 27th, 2013 at 10:44 pm
He wouldn’t be elected to represent anyone. Just plonked onto the list and left praying for baubles.
Vote:February 27th, 2013 at 10:57 pm
Chauvel always had a rather high opinion of himself but not so his colleagues. This valedictory underlines the problem Chauvel has. Goff King Mallard should move on but they hang on and on and on. Now King at 65 is supposed to be the new force in Health. How dare Tony Ryall manage to have such an easy time. Health is Labour’s issue. We will fix him they think. Labour is not a happy place and will not be until those old faces move on
Vote:February 27th, 2013 at 11:12 pm
Chauvel was hated in Ohariu. He is clearly arrogant, up himself and could never win a parliamentary seat. Good riddance. Best political news of the year so far. Labour should get a real candidate for Ohariu now, someone who is not divisive. The only real challenge to Peter Dunne would be someone like Andrew Little.
Vote:February 28th, 2013 at 5:59 am
This is unprecedented. Think of the venomous feuds of the past: Quigley and Waring v Muldoon, Lange v Douglas/Prebble, Richardson v Bolger only Winston Peters was that venal about his former colleagues but at least he put his money where his mouth was and formed his own party. The rest never slammed their own caucus colleagues the way Chauvel has. This demonstrates the depth of bitterness in the Cunliffe camp – a bitterness that has led to Chauvel’s huffy exit from Parliament. Seeing no scope for troughing as a future Labour Minister from the NZ taxpayer he heeded the call of the coven mother protector in New York and joined his fellow trougher Carter in the biggest trough of them all – the UN.
Toad
Vote:The Greens surely can’t be that desperate to want this oleaginous prat….oh wait they have Delahunty in their caucus so Chauvel will seem very reasonable in comparison.
February 28th, 2013 at 6:09 am
Mallard seems to have responded to Chauvel:
Not surprising, he has been blind to the damage he has been doing to Labour so far, that’s not likely to change when an enemy within has been successfully driven out.
Vote:February 28th, 2013 at 7:39 am
It doesnt matter where you look thru the world – those on the left are always looking for the enemy within. Soviet Russia, Cambodia, North Korea, etc. They killed more of their own in the belief that they were removing those who didnt agree with them – than they killed of their opposites.
I dont know what it is but they seem to have some phobia about being knifed in the back. It must be some inherant aspect of the philosophy of the left. Something to do with forcing your beliefs and ideas on other people in the total and supreme belief that you are right – except that there is that doubt that you are wrong – and the only way to overcome that is to remove everyone who shows any doubt.
Vote:February 28th, 2013 at 7:44 am
Despite Chauvel’s many flaws, I’m not convinced he is economically ignorant enough to be comfortable in the Green party.
As for this ‘enemy within’ thing, it is natural for the left to be more divided than the right. There are lots of ways to interfere in people’s lives and spend their money. There’s only one way to not do so.
Vote:February 28th, 2013 at 8:38 am
How do you reconcile the plea to stop looking for the enemy within with the cry to secure the resignation of those responsible for the election loss? This is Reid’d cognitive disonance all over. The only way that it can really be reconciled is to look for an over-riding principle which, in this case, can only be that rules that apply to others, do not apply to Charles and his cohorts.
Vote:February 28th, 2013 at 8:59 am
Toad is sort of right, Charlie would fit well with the greens. he (like them) is extremely up himself with no evidence to show why and none of them are capable of winning an electorate seat.
with shovel gone, that makes the most sanctimonious mp in parliament all of the green caucus. congrats guys, you are finally number 1 at something.
Vote:February 28th, 2013 at 9:02 am
Chauvel is about as electable as….a Green.
Vote:February 28th, 2013 at 9:58 am
In response to Chauvel’s accusations about blogs and in the interests of being open about blogs and their party connections I have compiled a list of the most prominent political blogs and their known (to me) party connections.
It makes Chauvel’s (incorrect) claims very ironic.
If anyone has any publishable details to add comments here: Blogs and party connections
Vote:February 28th, 2013 at 1:39 pm
So toadie would welcome Charlie in the Greens…No major surprise there. Sue Kedgley used to live just up the hill from Champagne Charlie, and drove a Range Rover until someone pointed out that that was not a good look for a party which suggests we should all get around on wooden bicycles…when we are not riding on carbon neutral trains or walking…
But in one respect I have respect for Charles and wish him well…he know’s what I am referring to….
Vote: